


Flesh Without Blood

by ikuzonos



Category: Zero Escape (Video Games)
Genre: 999 Spoilers, Axe End AU, Gen, Mental Health Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-22
Updated: 2018-08-22
Packaged: 2019-07-01 00:46:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15763149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ikuzonos/pseuds/ikuzonos
Summary: If she looks too closely at her hands, she can see blood in every pore of her skin, stuck under her nails, staining her palms.Axe End AU.





	Flesh Without Blood

**Author's Note:**

> The scene with the video was vaguely inspired by royaltyjunk's 'With but a Handkerchief and Myself' which you can and should read here! (https://archiveofourown.org/works/15385134)
> 
> I have a lot of feelings about the axe end. It's so much more terrifying in reality than in the version that exists in my memory.

The Nevada desert air doesn’t have even a trace of moisture. Clover coughs as sand fills her face, and covers her mouth with her free hand.

Her other arm is gripping Light desperately, as she’s been doing since the second he emerged from the coffin in the chapel.

Her entire body feels heavy.

There’s two cars present, both with the keys in the ignition. Light doesn’t protest as she relays this information, and helps him into the passenger’s seat of one.

“Clover, you don’t have your license,” he points out as she turns the key.

Clover murmurs, “Do you want to drive?”

Light chuckles and leans back in his seat, but she wasn’t kidding.

Her stomach twists as the car takes off, leaving Building Q in the dust.

Will anyone ever find the nine corpses inside? The thought lingers on Clover’s mind as they turn onto the highway.

-

Once every quarter mile, she tosses one of the bracelets out the window. It’s essentially leaving a trail, but she can’t bear to hold onto them any longer.

Light falls asleep about three hours into their drive, leaning against the window and snoring softly.

He hasn’t asked about what happened to the others. Even if he did, Clover isn’t sure if she can bring herself to tell him.

There’s a sign for a gas station, exit in ten miles. The gas tank seems alright, but she’s not about to risk it.

And she needs water. Light probably does too.

When they reach the station, Clover pulls up to the pump and shakes Light gently.

“Hm? Are we home already?” Light asks.

Clover can’t bring herself to laugh, “I wish. There’s a gas station here. Do you want… water?”

Light nods, “I would appreciate that. Do you still have your wallet?”

She hadn’t thought of that. Thankfully, when she roots through her pockets, it’s there.

“I’ll be right back,” Clover promises, getting out of the car.

The second she’s standing on the concrete, she throws up. Clover quakes, but manages to pump the gas quickly following that episode.

She’s fine. She has to be fine.

She did all this for Light.

When she returns with two bottles of water and shakier hands than when she left, his hands offer her shoulder a squeeze.

Neither of them speak as she starts the engine again.

-

Clover drives the axe into the coffin without a second thought.

Blood drips down the blade, certain to stain the wood a dark crimson. She stares at it momentarily, suddenly feeling sick to her stomach.

Something is wrong.

Then, as if possessed, she drops the axe. As the sound echoes throughout the small chapel, a set of ghostly pale fingers stick out of the hole she made.

There’s something familiar there, something about the crooked nails and damaged skin. Something about-

No.

_ No. _

“Hello?” The voice inside is muted and weak. It sounds almost like sandpaper.

Clover’s stomach drops, “ _ Light?!” _

A pause. Then Light replies, an urgency to his time, “Clover?!”

Clover snatches the axe back up and begins to hack away at the lip, not daring to stop until the entire thing pops off.

After a moment, Light sits up, dressed in a peculiar set of what looks to be religious robes.

“Light…” she croaks, the axe slipping from her fingers again.

Light opens his arms and she buries herself in them, sobbing into his shoulder.

“I thought… I thought you were…” Clover chokes out.

Light whispers, “I’m here now. I’m sorry that I worried you.”

Clover grips his shoulders tighter.

“Where are the others?” Light asks, “It must be almost six by now…”

Clover’s throat seizes up. The bracelets are suddenly much heavier in her pocket.

-

“Ace killed Lotus.”

The first words spoken after several hours of silent driving make the air heavier.

Light takes a moment to process the information, “I… see. Do you have any idea why?”

Clover pauses, “I… I think… he wanted her bracelet.”

_ 1 + 8 = 9 _

“Mm, but those bracelets alone would not let him through Door Nine,” Light says.

“He stole the Ninth Man’s bracelet,” Clover replies, “I… I found it in his coat.”

Light goes silent for a moment, “Ah. ...You found it?”

Clover grips the wheel tighter, “Ace killed Lotus. He… I thought he would… hurt me too.”

(She hadn’t been the least bit afraid of Ace.)

Light gently puts a hand on her shaking arm, “Your actions are understandable. You don’t have to worry, alright?”

Tears bud in her eyes.

“Did he… hurt the others too?” Light asks.

Clovers swallows the bile in her mouth.

“Yeah. He did.”

-

The second that Seven turns his back, Clover drives the axe into his skull.

June shrieks, looking like she’s about to collapse. Santa struggles against the restraints, but they won’t budge.

Seven howls and howls, but falls silent as she removes the axe, slumping over the control panel.

“Clover, please,” June begs, “You… you don’t…”

Clover smiles sweetly, “He killed my brother. It’s only fair.”

June shakes her head, “No! No, Light’s still alive, I swear!”

“June!” Santa snaps, fear flooding his voice.

Clover’s eyes narrow, “How do you-“

“The first Nonary Game,” June replies instantly, “We… We met on this ship, the first time.”

Santa hisses, “Stop talking.”

Clover whirls on him, “Shut up! You… You helped Seven kill Snake!”

The code name tastes bitter in her mouth.

“Don’t hurt him,” June whispers, “Your brother’s okay, we can take you to him, if you just-“

Clover slams the axe into her chest. June’s eyes go wide, right before she collapses.

Santa whimpers under his breath, “Akane… Not again…”

His words mean nothing to her. Clover locks eyes with Santa.

“Why did you kill my brother?” Clover hisses.

Santa’s voice shakes, “I didn’t. He’s not… that’s not him behind Door Three. Snake is in the chapel, and he’s-“

“Stop  _ lying!”  _ Clover screeches, pulling the axe out of June’s corpse.

Santa barely has time to close his eyes before his skull splits open.

Silently, Clover collects their bracelets and finishes the puzzle.

Three down. Three to go.

-

Once they arrive in the city, the first thing they do is find a payphone. Light stays in the car to avoid stares, while Clover piles together all her change for an international call.

_ Ring… ring… ring… _

Finally, there’s an answer at the other end. 

“Field residence. Hanako Field speaking.”

Clover’s voice cracks, “Mom?”

“Clover?!” her mother exclaims, “Oh my goodness, where are you?! Is Light with you?! Your father and I have been worried out of- No, are you alright?”

She swallows, “I… We’re…”

Clover starts crying before she can get another word out. Her mother starts to hum gently, enough to calm her down.

“We’re… somewhere in Nevada,” she says finally, “I don’t know where. Light and I are… alive.”

A pause. Then, “Nevada… in the United States?”

Clover whispers, “Yeah. Like nine years ago.”

Her mother begins to cry.

-

She doesn’t even realize that Lotus is dead until after she drives the axe into Ace’s back.

Clover stares at the two corpses, then tilts her head and sighs. It does save her some trouble, in the end. The last loose ends.

She takes Ace’s bracelet, then Lotus’s, which is hanging out of his coat pocket. She slips them into her own, where they settle nicely in between  _ 7, 3, 6,  _ and  _ 5. _

Suddenly, Clover kneels down. Something about Ace is bothering her, and she’s determined to find out what.

Tucked in the inner lining of Ace’s coat is two things. The first is the bracelet that must have belonged to the Ninth Man, judging by the number on its face.

The second is a pistol. Loaded. 

Clover stares at it blankly. Where on earth did Ace get this? Though, she supposes that it hardly matters now. She drops it on the floor, where it clatters in the pool of blood.

With a grunt, she pulls out the axe, and heads for the chapel.

Door Nine. Time to go home.

-

It takes nearly a week to get back home, but when Clover stumbles up to her front porch, it feels like no time has passed at all.

The second she and Light push the door open, their mother throws her arms around them.

“You two are never leaving my sight again,” she whispers fiercely. Clover isn’t sure she wants her to let go.

Light chokes, “Mother, I can’t breathe-” and she releases the pair.

She still grips their wrists, and Clover winces at her tear stained smile. She has no idea. She has no idea, and she never will. 

Light barely knows.

(She can still feel the weight of the axe in her hands.)

-

A dim bulb is the only source of light in the skeevy motel room. 

Light is snoring away in one of the musty beds, wearing an oversized pair of moth eaten pajamas. Clover sits on the bathroom floor, staring holes into the tiles.

If she looks too closely at her hands, she can see blood in every pore of her skin, stuck under her nails, staining her palms.

The axe slams into their bodies without remorse. Clover scrambles for the toilet and retches into it.

When her stomach is empty, she peers into the tiny bedroom.

“I killed them for you,” Clover murmurs, “And I didn’t need to.”

Except maybe Ace. That’s the only one she can’t make herself feel bad for.

Her hands shake. Blood seeps into the room through the walls.

-

With a crazed smile, Junpei takes her hand.

With one swift motion, she cuts his off.

-

On their third morning back, their mother places a package on the kitchen table.

“What’s this?” Light asks, reaching out to feel it.

She says, “It came in the mail for you two. I haven’t opened it… but it looks important.”

Clover glances at the return address. It reads ‘Crash Keys.’ It means nothing to her.

However, the braille on the packaging does. Even if she doesn’t have a clue what it says, Light certainly does. His fingers trace the bumps, and his expression furrows.

“Light?” Clover asks, her voice creaking.

He tears open the paper without a word, revealing a box that contains only a DVD and a letter. Clover reaches across the table to grab it.

_ To: Field Household _

_ For Clover and Light, should they have returned alive. In the event of their death, it is permissible for Hanako Field to see the contents of this disc. _

_ Sincerely, _

_ Akane and Aoi Kurashiki _

_ Crash Keys _

Their mother folds her hands, then silently backs away. As Clover relays the message to Light, his brow gains multiple creases.

“Do… those names mean anything to you?” Clover asks softly. ‘Akane’ sounds familiar, but she doesn’t know why.

Light whispers hoarsely, “Let’s… find something to play this on. If you don’t mind. I’m sure that this will… all make sense to you in a moment.”

Clover takes the DVD nervously, “I don’t like where this is going.”

Light doesn’t reply, so she scrambles up to her room to find her laptop. He follows behind her, seeming hollow.

They huddle together on Clover’s floor as she inserts the disc. The video player application opens automatically, and she turns up the sound.

“Ready?” she asks, her cursor hovering over the play button.

Light says nothing.

Clover clicks play.

At first there’s nothing but darkness. Then, the camera suddenly shows Santa, sitting in a chair, and Clover nearly vomits.

“Light, Clover,” he says.

A voice from off camera interrupts him, “Address all the options! Remember, this one has weird variants!”

“That’s June,” Clover murmurs.

(She can still picture the moment all life faded from that girl’s eyes.)

Santa sighs, “What the fuck happens in this one?”

June says, “Sometimes Light doesn’t make it out! Sometimes… neither of them do.”

_ What the hell is she- _

“Alright, fine. I sure fucking hope I’m talking to Light and Clover here, but if your mother is watching this instead… I’m very sorry. There is nothing we could have done,” Santa says, his expression weary.

Light is trembling. Clover puts a hand on his shoulder.

Santa keeps talking, “I’m Aoi Kurashiki, codename Santa. Yelling at me is my sister, Akane. Codename June.”

“I’m not yelling at you!” June - Akane? - insists, “I’m helping.”

Santa - Aoi - rolls his eyes, “Okay. Whatever. You… might have put this together, but the two of us essentially masterminded the second Nonary Game.”

Akane says, “You make it sound like we’re bad people.”

“We put nine people in a death game!” Aoi shouts, “We… We…”

There’s a long silence. Someone sniffles, and at first, Clover thinks it’s Akane, but she can see Light shaking out of the corner of her eye.

Aoi finally speaks again, “This Nonary Game was designed to keep Akane alive. Like… a stable time loop. To keep her from burning to death, nine years in the past. It sounds weird when I phrase it like that.”

He says a lot of words that Clover only barely recognizes. Morphogenetic field comes up a few times. She remembers that one, from Building Q.

“So… So basically, since you’re watching this,” Aoi says, “We failed. We fucked up really badly. Akane can like… see alternate futures. And this is one of the bad ones.”

“There’s a worse one,” Akane says.

Aoi sighs, “I’m aware! You’ve told me!”

Akane replies, “I’m just thinking out loud.”

“Most people think inside their heads,” Aoi grumbles, “Anyways. In this one, Clover, uh, violently kills everyone with an axe.”

“She doesn’t kill Lotus,” Akane says instantly, “Hongou does.”

Aoi scowls, “Would you stop cutting in every two seconds?! You record this thing if you don’t like it!”

Akane, presumably, sticks out her tongue.

Aoi says, “Okay. Clover violently murders everyone except Lotus, who Hongou kills, with an axe. Better?”

“Much!” Akane replies cheerfully.

Light makes a strangled noise. Clover can scarcely breathe.

“For the record, Hongou, codename Ace, was the one behind the first Nonary Game,” Aoi adds offhandedly, “Bastard…”

Akane chides, “Stay on topic.”

“I’m trying!” Aoi says, “I’m fucking trying- Hey, how the fuck do you even know some of this, anyways?”

Akane replies, “Clover doesn’t always kill Jumpy right away. Usually, but sometimes she drags him around. Until they get outside. Then she always kills him.”

Aoi murmurs, “Jesus.”

“I don’t like that one very much,” Akane hums.

Aoi says, “Do you like any of them?! Should you?! You  _ die!” _

Akane says, “I like the one where we all live. Although I never get to see Jumpy again. That part isn’t as nice.”

Aoi rubs his eyes, “Maybe you should’ve fucking told me some of this before we started filming.”

“We can shoot again!” Akane chirps.

Aoi scowls, “Do you think I have the fucking patience for that?!”

Akane responds, “Not a lick. Let’s finish, okay?”

“Okay,” Aoi mutters, “Okay. So, Crash Keys will be sending your family a bursary every month for the rest of your lives. It’s… all we can do to make up for putting you two through the Nonary Game again.”

Akane says, “I think that’s everything. Good job!”

Aoi looks like he’s about to be sick, “Yeah, whatever.”

The feed cuts off a second later.

Light slowly turns to her, his voice deathly quiet, “Clover. Is what he said true?”

“Uh,” Clover tries, her voice catching.

Light speaks slowly, “You told me that Ace killed everyone else, and you killed him because you feared for your own safety.”

Clover whispers, “He killed Lotus.”

“And the rest?” Light prompts.

“I killed them,” Clover breathes.

Light says nothing for a moment, then hugs her tight, “Oh, Clover… What have you done?”

She croaks, “I thought… thought they killed you.”

Light frowns, “Explain.”

“Behind… Door Three,” Clover starts, “A corpse. Blew up. He… he was dressed… in your clothes. I thought…”

Light takes in a deep breath, “I… see.”

“I did the math. It made… made sense for Seven and Santa to have killed you,” Clover murmurs.

_ 2 + 3 + 7 = 12 = 3 _

Clover continues, “And June kept defending them.”

“And Junpei?” Light asks.

Clover pauses, “I… I don’t… I don’t know. I’d already… three people… And then Ace. I didn’t even realize that he’d killed Lotus.”

Light’s lip quivers. Then, with tears rolling down his face, he grabs Clover and pulls her into a tight hug.

-

Crash Keys keeps true to their word. Every month, for as long as Light and Clover Field live, their family receives a large cheque.

It can never make up for the Nonary Game, but it’s something. Something is better than nothing.

Light takes to gardening, and begins to regain colour in his skin, bit by bit. Conversely, Clover turns pale and rarely leaves the house, too occupied with the nightmares that melt into her daily life.

It isn’t bad, not all the time. Just quiet.

After enough years, Clover stops dreaming.

-

In the Captain’s Quarters, Junpei turns his back for barely half a minute.

Silently, Clover picks up the axe, and hides it inside her coat.


End file.
